A Study On Translator-Centeredness Based On Translation As Adaptation And Selection:a Comparative Analysis Of Two English Versions Of Yi Jing

With the development of society, the translation theory also undergoes corresponding changes. But, it is noted that the growth is uneven because the translator’s role does not arouse enough attention. Since the circle of translation theory has turned the center into cultural perspective, which has offered a brand new perspective for translation studies, scholars at home and abroad have turned their centers into the research on the translator’s role. Meanwhile, some research products of other subjects have been introduced into the field of translation studies. In addition, the ecological culture breaks out in the global academic community recently and people begin to return to nature. Therefore, the approach to translation as adaptation and selection emerges as time requires, which introduces the Darwinian principle of "natural selection"1into translation studies.Based on this approach, in this thesis, the author compares two English versions of Yi Jing by James Legge2and Wang Rongpei3to discuss translator-centeredness in the translating process. In this approach, translation is defined as "a translator’s adaptation and selection activities in a translational eco-environment"(胡庚申2004a:219). Adaptation and selection can not be separated with each other. Differing from the precious concepts, they are the translator’s instinct, emphasizing that the translator is the real leader of the whole translating process.Therefore, the author compares two English versions of Yi Jing by James Legge and Wang Rongpei from the translator’s adaptation and selection to need, competence and the translational eco-environment. From the translator’s need internally and externally, the selection of the source text will be influenced by different translators’needs. From the translator’s competence, different translators will choose different translating strategies and the degree of adaptation to the translational eco-environment according to competence, including the translator’s bilingual competence, bicultural competence, personal temperament, learning ability, etc. From the translational eco-environment, the translator mainly transforms in linguistic, cultural and communicative dimensions. Different translators will make different three-dimensional transformations and select different target texts.From the comparison of two English versions of Yi Jing by James Legge and Wang Rongpei, it is easily to figure out that these two translators interpret the content of Yi Jing from different angles, achieve their respective aims and accomplish the adaptive selection and transformation in linguistic, cultural and communicative dimensions. In the translating process of Yi Jing, James Legge adapts to the linguistic rules and the style of ancient Chinese, the source culture and the target culture and the communicative intention of transmitting the cultural connotation of language and makes adaptive selections. Wang Rongpei stresses explaining the philosophy of Yi Jing to common readers. Different adaptations and selections of these two translators prove that the translator is the center of translation, who conducts both adaptation and selection in one person and selects the source text, the translating strategy and the final text. However, the translator will also be restricted by the translational eco-environment. In this thesis, based on the approach to translation as adaptation and selection, by comparing two English versions of Yi Jing by James Legge and Wang Rongpei, the author verifies that translator-centeredness in translation from the translator’s adaptation and selection.